State Quickens Power Plant Approval Process

SACRAMENTO-In another step to try and ease the power crisis in California, the state Assembly approved a plan Monday to accelerate the approval process for the construction of power plants. The bill’s passage follows a request by Gov. Gray Davis for lawmakers to make it easier for plants to be built in hope of increasing the state’s power supply and stopping future rolling blackouts across the state.

The bill, approved 67-to-4, requires that local jurisdictions submit initial review of a power plant proposal within 45 days of an application to the California Energy Commission, and a final review within 100 days of the application date. The bill also allows the owners of new power plants to pay mitigation fees for pollution when pollution credits are not available.